Māori Party candidate for Te Tai Tonga, Mei Reedy-Taare, has commended the whānau of Kawatiri for coming out in the mass ‘hands around the hospital’ action against the proposed integrated family health centre.

Māori Party candidate for Te Tai Hauāuru, Howie Tamati, supports the call by Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy for the United Nations to pressure New Zealand's Government to hold an inquiry into child abuse in state-run institutions.
"One of my four campaign pou or policies is calling for the Government to launch a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the abuse of children in state care, so I completely back Dame Susan Devoy in her request to the UN to push our Government into action on this important issue."

Te Tai Tonga candidate for the Māori Party, Mei Reedy-Taare, is speaking out about Māori men’s health in her determination, both politically and personally, to do whatever it takes to get health on the agenda.
The launch, held last night at Te Wharewaka on Wellington Waterfront, is a great opportunity to focus attention on Māori men’s health.
“I want to congratulate Mana Tāne Ora o Aotearoa – the national Māori men’s health coalition – for their bold and proactive work in addressing the poorer life expectancy of Māori men,” said Mei Reedy-Taare.
“In doing so I acknowledge their board: Riki Niania; Tahi Takao; Steve Kenny and Te Kani Kingi; and the inspiration of Lee Luke in mobilising this movement of men to create intergenerational change.
“Currently there remains a significant gap – 7.3 years – between the life expectancy of a Māori male (73 years) and a non-Māori male (80.3 years). We believe that such inequalities cannot be tolerated or maintained.
“If we believe in notions of equity and social justice, we want to see measurable improvements in life expectancy, quality of life, morbidity and an overall reduction in inequalities for Māori men.
“The Māori Party is campaigning on the grounds of committing to eliminating poverty, disparity and inequality. We know that as a population, Māori men have, on average, the poorest health status of any ethnic group in New Zealand”.
“We welcome the move by Mana Tane Ora o Aotearoa to establish nationally networked strategies to address the health and social issues of Māori men in Aotearoa.
“The implementation of a sustainable set of health indicators is a brilliant means of focusing attention on the issue of Māori men’s health, and I look forward to seeing the way in which this tool can be used to generate discussion where it matters most.”

PRESS RELEASE - 15 August 2017
‘When our Pasefika and Māori youth lose their purpose focus in life because they failed in school, lack marketable skills, and find no job opportunities…they end up as our wayward children. It is not an excuse but it is the ‘why’ our younger generation have arrived in that hopeless space’…says Māori Party Candidate for Manukau East, Tuilagi Saipele Esera.

Aiiloilo Dr. Elise Puni, Co-Leader of One Pacific, in his speech at the Maori Party campaign launch on Saturday 12th August, said that…“our Pacific dream is to progress, live in dignity, and prosper in Aotearoa, to be united, and speak with one voice. That dream is on its way to achieving, starting today.”

The Māori Party condemns Labour’s arrogant proposal to tax commercial water use and says the issue of who owns the country’s water needs to be addressed before there is any talk of imposing a tax on the resource.

Plans to impose boot camps and imprison rangatahi who have ‘lost their way’ will not work and will not be supported under the Māori Party’s watch, says Māori Party candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau Shane Taurima.
“We see the National Party’s policy for dealing with wayward children as an attack on Māori and Pasifika children and youth, so we’re absolutely opposed to it.
“Their plans will impact the hardest on Māori and Pasifika rangatahi and whānau, and perpetuates the injustice and abuse our people already and continue to experience, in state care,” says Mr Taurima.
“Their plans are archaic and evidence shows that boot camps and prison don’t work. What these children need is a whānau ora approach, kaupapa Māori and more support across social services and education. And that’s exactly what they’ll get under the Māori Party.

Te Tai Tonga candidate, Mei Reedy-Taare, is fighting fit with enthusiasm after a dynamic Māori Party launch at Manurewa Marae in Auckland today.
“I was moved by the passionate kōrero of one of our young Māori women standing for the Manurewa general seat, Tasha Hohaia,” said Mei Reedy-Taare.